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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pass — a permit
  6. field — farmland
  7. mate — a friend
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pit — a hole
  11. spell — magic
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. field — for sport
  21. field — a subject
  22. bore — to tire
  23. spell — letters
  24. pit — in a race

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com